Careful selection of seeding dates can give each crop type the best possible growing conditions, and thus increase total farm income. That's been demonstrated in a 4-year (1994 to 97) field experiment conducted at Swift Current. The study clearly showed a strong economic advantage for early seeding of all crop types, particularly oilseed and pulse crops. Early seeding does not add to production costs, but results in higher grain yields and farm income.

• Early seeding (April 28 to May 6) increased seed yields by 3 to 22% for all crops compared to the traditional mid-May seeding (May 10 to May 15).
  
  
• Delayed seeding (May 22 to May 31) decreased seed yields by 5 to 24% from the mid-May seeding date.
  
  
• Among the crops tested, yellow mustard, argentine canola, sunflower, and canaryseed showed the greatest response to the early seeding, with yield increases of 12% or more over that obtained with mid-May seeding.
  
  
• Delayed seeding caused the largest yield losses (16 to 23%) in oriental mustard, polish canola, yellow mustard, field pea, lentil, and canaryseed.
  
  
• Wheat had the least response to seeding date.

Response of seed yield to seeding dates in southwestern Saskatchewan.

• Early seeding of yellow mustard, argentine canola, and sunflower could capture more than $12,000 of additional income from one-section of land.
  
  
• For most of the oilseed and pulse crops, later than normal (mid-May) seeding reduced gross income from $12,000 to $29,000, depending on the crops.
  
  
• Wheat seeded between April 28 to May 31 resulted in the smallest changes (± $6500/640 ac) among the crop types.

Source:
"Wise Seeding Date Decisions --- Discover the Hidden Value", Yantai Gan, Bob Zentner, and Brian McConkey, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Semiarid Prairie Agricultural Research Centre Research Newsletter No.7 April 14, 2000.